Just got home from the ER

[Joe S.]

Magnesium (Mg)    Symptoms: Fatigue. Vertigo. Convulsions. Heart attacks. Palpitations. Bed wetting. Kidney stones.Tremors. Nerves. Seizures. Hyperactivity. Weak.   Best sources: Soya beans. Nuts. Whole grains. Brewers yeast. Lobster/shrimp. Seafood. Dried fruit. Green leaf vegetables.   Notes: Improves retention of urine, tooth enamel, energy & Vits. E & C utilization. Used to treat kids hyperactivity

Flaxseed An alternative source of Omega-3

INOSTOL 500-1,000 mg    Symptoms: Dematitis. Hair loss. Hypertension. Constipation. High blood cholesterol.    Best sources: Lecithin. Liver. Nuts. Wheatgerm. Brains. Brewers yeast. Whole grains. Beans.    Notes: With Choline vital for brain function. Nontoxic. Combats eczema and stress. Takes weather out of your pain cycle.

GARLIC (Allium Sativum)
USE: Bulb.
FOR Gas* - Colds* - Liver - Croup - Warts - Fever - Sore throat - Ulcers - Thyroid - Ringworm - Increase appetite - Migraine - Cholera - Hemorrhoids - Food poisoning - Dissolves arterial plaque* - Cleans blood - Acne (int.) - Emphysema - High blood pressure* - Catarrh* - Diarrhea - Colitis - Constipation - Kids diseases* - Cramps - Depression - Heart* - Venereal disease - Rheumatism - Cough - Longevity - Vagina - Prostate - Digestion - Gall bladder - Flu - Cholesterol* - Aphrodisiac (men)* - Ring/Thread worms* - Arteries* - Sinus - Insect stings/Bites - Dysentery - Cancer - Blood sugar control - Intestine tonic - Circulation* - Yeast infections.
NOTES: To lower blood pressure use with Cayenne. To discourage external parasites, wear in bag around neck. Some swallow cloves whole (peel & cut off sharp ends) for colon & worms. Encourages friendly intestinal bacteria. Eat with parsley to reduce smell. Antiviral, antibacteria, antifungal. Harvest when leaves start to whither. For infections use with echinacea. Doses from 1 clove to 2 lbs./day. 5,000 + year use history.

GOLDENSEAL (Hydrastis Canadensis)
USE: Root.
FOR Liver - Burns - Flu* - Hemorrhage* - Catarrh* - Sores (external)* - Spleen - Earache (external use with mullein) - Burns (external) - Uterus - Sore throat (garg.)* - Eczema (external) - Flu/Colds* - Colon/Bowels - Tonsils (garg.) - Prostate - Digestion (use with chamomile)* - Itch/Rash (comb. w/distilled witch hazel [external]) - Circulation* - Bad breath - Nosebleed (sniff)* - Improve appetite - Bronchitis - Constipation - Sinus* - Inflammation (external) - Eczema (external) - Gall bladder - Antiseptic* - Kids diseases - Conjunctivitis - Water retention - Morning sickness - Hay fever - Venereal disease - Mouth/Gum sores (garg.) - Ulcers - Anorexia - Cancer - Rngworm (external) - Helps Mucous membranes* - Thyroid (low) - Lymph - Hemorrhoids - Insect repel (external) - Kidneys - Allergies - Nausea - Nerves - Vagina - Cuts/Woulds (external)* - Psoriasis - Bladder - Obesity - Period flow (dec.) - Eye wash (use with eyebright)*.
NOTES: Works well with other herbs. Don't take if pregnant or have hypoglycemia. A powerful healer (natural antibiotic) but use in moderation and not long-term.

PEPPERMINT (Mentha X Piperita)
USE: Aerial parts (& oil)
FOR Colic* - Diarrhea - Insomnia - Bronchitis - Bile flow - Improve appetite* - Nose/Throat - Colds/Flu - Vomiting - Antiseptic - Nightmares - Congestion - Stress/Worry* - Palpitations - Circulation/Heart - Rheumatism (external oil) - Anesthetic (mild) - Morning sickness* - Nausea - Smoking - Migraine/Headache* - Fever - Dizzy - Gas/Flatulence* - Period pain - Heartburn* - Muscle/Gut cramps - Digestion* - Skin ailments (external) - Pain - Liver - Tonic - Cough - Kids' diseases - Gall bladder - Itchy (external)
NOTES: Very good for nervous stomach (i.e. swallow air). Combine with elder to sweat.

DANDELION (Taraxacum Officinale)
USE: Mainly dried roots (but fresh leaf used in salads).
FOR Acne - Anemia - Energy - Cancer - Spleen - Skeleton - Insomnia - Digestion - Heartburn - Kidneys* - Cramps - Jaundice* - Gall stones & bladder* - Builds blood - Tonsils/Flu - Diabetes - Age spots - Cleans blood* - Fever - Rheumatism - Gout - Skin ailments (incl. spots, boils, eczema, etc.)* - Constipation - Pancreas - Improve appetite - Bronchitis - Fractures (bones) - Hypoglycemia - Old age - Hemorrhage - Water retention* - Liver* - Wounds.
NOTES: Efficient remover of acid/toxins from blood but does also raise blood pressure. For liver/gall bladder combine with yarrow. Suitable for kids & as general tonic.

B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 5 mcg   Symptoms: Breathlessness. Heart palpitations. Sore smooth tongue. Feeling weak. Apathy. Degeneration of memory. nerves, brain, spine & premature    Best Source: Eggs. Oyster. Clam. Liver. Milk. Cheese. Kidneys. Spirulina. Fermented soya beans. Pollen. Sea vegetables. Most animal products.    Notes: Considered nontoxic. Strict vegetarians may be deficient. Used to treat shingles, alcoholism, asthma, allergies, insomnia, fits, hepatitis.

D3 this is what you take D for.
Acetyl L Carnitine: repairs mitochondria DNA
Alpha Lipoic Acid: Removes debris from repair, reverses neuropathy.
Reiki: hands on energy healing
Reflexology: Triggers endorphin release to various parts of your body.
Meditation: helps in controlling pain.
Carrot Juice: gives your body what it needs to produce endorphins
Tonations:
Dry Mouth  http://www.chakraforce.com/Tonations.html#26.
Dry Eyes  http://www.chakraforce.com/Tonations.html#326.
Fibromyalgia  http://www.chakraforce.com/Tonations.html#329.
Arthritis  http://www.chakraforce.com/Tonations.html#212.
CFS  http://www.chakraforce.com/Tonations.html#330.

[Carolina]

Yes, Deb, B  R  E  A  T  H  E.

slowly

regularly

My heart goes out to you.   You will find a way around or through this.

Keep us posted.

Kisses

Elaine

[inga]

I have low K, low Ca and low vit. D....one would think it is as simple as taking those...IS ISN'T.....without correcting the bicarbonate, the calcium ends up plugging up the kidneys, the K goes down the drain and the Vit D does more harm than good.

Dee, what is your ANA, and ENA, and is your crp and sed rate elevated?

[irish]

Deb, It is not unusual for people with autoimmune diseases to not run a fever. I haven't run much of a fever for years and doc says it comes with the territory.

Also, I don't blame you one bit for enjoying the attention that you got in ER. You are in need of attention. It is a human need and when one gets sick this need is even greater. It sort of takes the pressure off to have someone else helping you deal with all this.

I don't know if you have relatives close by or not but it might be helpful to move closer to people you know and could depend on. Also, it might even be nice if you could dfind a roommate if you have enough room. I would certainly go through a church, etc to try and find someone who would not be living a wild life. That is the last thing you need to put up with.

The other thing I am wondering is if you work full time. If you are home a lot it might be nice to call the county public health/social services department and hire someone to come one to two times a week for a few hours to help around the house and be there for support. Many health insurance policies pay this. Also, I don't think that the fee for a couple hours once a week would be too terrible.

I really feel badly for you and wish there was some way you could move to an area where there would be more people for you to have in close proximity Assistant living facilities can be nice and you pay for the room and whatever services you need. It can get really spendy, but maybe there are some out there that might not be much different from what you pay in rent. Good luck and my prayers are with you. Irish

[Carolina]

AMEN to Irish.

Elaine

[bloodless]

I understand completely the nice feeling in the ER. We push so hard just to make it through the day and we take care of so many people pretending we're fine. The people around you have no idea what getting through the day is like for you. That's why you get that "AHhhh" feeling in the ER. You don't have to pretend your're fine and someone is actually taking care of you while you're lying under a warm blanket. They take the pain or difficulty breathing or whatever sent you there better. You're also forced to stop everything. You have to take easy. If we take it easy and pamper ourselves occasionally, maybe we wouldn't end up in the ER so often. Maybe.

I've taken 200 mg of plaquenil for a long time without reaction. I would think you'd have a reaction before 3 weeks. Who knows. I hope you can find an alternative, because plaquenil really makes a difference.

[deeindiana]

Thank you, Irish, Elaine and everyone. I'm glad my reaction to the care I received in ER didn't sound too pathetic. Everyone around me considers me a strong, confident, funny woman -- and I try so hard to live up to that image. But right now, I sure don't feel that way on the inside.

Several people have mentioned that they don't usually run fevers with SS. Perhaps I will be lucky and this will turn out to be just a bug after all. For now I will wait to hear back from my rheumy. And I won't rule out trying the plaquenil again when/if I get feeling better.

I don't want to give the impression that there aren't people in my life who love me. My husband has worked and lived in Michigan for two years and he visits every-other weekend. I remained here with our youngest son so he could graduate from his own high school. The boy graduated this spring and moved up with his dad in May. So, I've only been 'technically' alone for six months (although living with an 18-year-old boy without his dad around for two years hasn't been easy).

I will be moving to join them November 1st. I will be so glad to be with them -- and yet everything concerning our family and this move has fallen on my shoulders.  I handle all the finances. Our house & farm still hasn't sold (and paying for two living spaces is a huge financial burden). I'm stuck with the packing and arranging an unbelievable amount of tiny moving details. I work full time at a library (which I love) and am sad that my last day is coming soon. I care for my elderly parents and must find a place for them in Michigan (both are legally blind, mom is in an assisted living apartment and dad is in skilled care after suffering a stroke last month). I'm sad to leave my oldest son and his wife, our church, my friends, my home.

It's just all so overwhelming when you don't feel good and are exhausted.

The caring emails, good wishes and prayers I've received here have been a God-send. Thank you all so much for your support. I hope I can be there for all of you too.
Deb

[genko_b]

Wow you have got a lot on your plate! It may be that once the move is done and you have settled in, both the disease and the reactions to medications will calm down a bit. The stress alone can aggravate both. Here's hoping your house sells soon, you find a place for your parents that you are comfortable with, and the huge list of tasks in front of you isn't so huge anymore.

Genko

[Nans]

Wow, Deb - You sure have a lot on your plate!  I wish you the best with your move north to Michigan.

I have had problems with diarrhea for many years.  My anxiety problem exacerbates it.  I had my gallbladder removed in July 2009.  The diarrhea got worse.  I started plaquenil a year ago.  I thought the diarrhea couldn't possibly get worse -  but it did!  

My rheumy told me to stop taking the plaquenil to see if that helped.  He said if it did, he wanted to put me on Imuran.  Perhaps that's the med that someone said is used instead of plaquenil.  I checked out the possible side effects of Imuran and wasn't too anxious to try it.  That stuff sounds nasty - and I was leery of starting plaquenil because of the blindness thing!

I hope you find out the source of your problems and that it's not plaquenil.

God bless.